


Fruit to capture your heart

by peculiairyties (ItsAiryBro)



Series: Green means Growth [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkwardness, Background IwaOi - Freeform, Banter, Daichi is patient and amused, Everyone is invested in Kuroo's wellbeing, Fluff, Humor, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Mess, M/M, SO self indulgent because that's how I roll Babeyy, The Author Regrets Nothing, as they should be, he is also a foole, mention of past AkaKuroo, mentioned bokuaka, mentions of past alcohol issues, mentions of past mental health issues, suga is a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 05:16:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19940812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsAiryBro/pseuds/peculiairyties
Summary: In which Kuroo tries to woo Sawamura with fruit, and succeeds, but it wasn't really because of the fruit.





	Fruit to capture your heart

When Kuroo stepped off the train and onto the platform of the small train station in the little town he was going to be living in for the foreseeable future, he was sure of three things:

  1. He should have gotten a thicker jacket;
  2. If he hadn’t been such a colossal dumbass, Bokuto would definitely have helped him move;
  3. He should have driven down in a car, because he had a large suitcase and no taxi to take him to his new apartment.



There was also a fourth thing, though he wasn’t as sure about it as he was about the others:

He was going to start moving forward.

-

After some time spent trying to call a taxi, he gave up and called Sugawara to come pick him up. The man had made him wait almost a whole hour before he’d finally showed up, smiling brightly as if he was completely unaware that what he’d done was cruel.

Kuroo didn’t remember much about Sugawara from high school, but he noted he still looked youthful and cheery, and maybe he’d grown a little taller. His ‘playful punching’ was a habit he hadn’t grown out of, and Kuroo would probably have the bruise to prove it.

Even though he’d been in contact with Sugawara for the house he was renting, he hadn’t actually made any small talk with him, and he didn’t exactly know what to talk about either, but Sugawara filled the ride with chatter about the neighborhood association’s volleyball matches. 

“You have to join,” said Sugawara. “I’ll come find you if you don’t.” He looked at Kuroo out of the corner of his eyes and smiled at him.

Kuroo nodded nervously. “I’ll try my best.”

“I know you work from home and you don’t know anyone here so you won’t exactly have a social life,” he said, matter of fact. “There’s not really an excuse for you to not make it.”

“I do visit Tokyo often, you know,” Kuroo groused.

“Sure,” he replied. “Well, I’ll bug you about it anyway.”

The ride to his new place wasn’t too long, for which Kuroo was grateful.

He got out and retrieved his suitcase from the back of Sugawara’s pick up. “Well, thanks, Sugawara-san. I guess I’ll be seeing you around a lot.”

“You sure will be!” He replied, smiling brightly. “We practise on Friday evenings. I’ll text you the address. I’ll see you there!” 

He left without letting Kuroo get a word in edgewise.

-

Kuroo settled into his new place fairly quickly. He went back to get his car and the last of the other things he had, and once that was done, that was all. No one came to see him off. Kenma had outright refused, grousing that he had no need to say goodbye when Kuroo would still bug him every day through text or phone. His dad had waved him goodbye from his front yard when he’d gone to drop off the clothes and knickknacks he didn’t have space for in his new place.

He set up his home office first, with his computer and all his textbooks and references, before he moved onto his bedroom and living room. After all his pictures and posters were hung up, he took a few pictures and sent them to Kenma before tossing his glasses on the coffee table, flopping down on his sofa, and promptly falling asleep in it’s comfy warmth. 

He woke three hours later and finished setting up his kitchen, which went quickly because he wasn’t the type to make elaborate meals and so had very limited kitchen paraphernalia. He placed his lone aloe plant on the windowsill, a memento of his attempt at raising a windowsill garden.

Finally, he put his two brand new wicker chairs in the balcony, positioned so they were facing each other with a low glass table between them. The balcony was one of the main reasons he’d settled on this apartment. It was quite large and faced west, making it a prime spot to unwind at the end of the way and catch a sunset.

He’d been optimistic about buying the second chair. There wasn’t anyone to use it now, but Kuroo was hopeful that there would be, soon.

But for now, he’d use it as a footrest.

-

The first time Kuroo saw Sawamura after roughly nine years was at the grocery store.

He’d grown a little taller and filled out, broader now, and more solidly built. His face was still youthful but there was a different sort of grace about him, something calmer, more centered, even more so than he’d been in the last year of high school, leading a rowdy bunch of first and second years to victory after victory.

The words _Bara Dad Bod_ flashed through his brain, and Kuroo thought yes, wow, fuck. God _damn._ He wasn’t quite there yet, and he was too young to exactly be a ‘dad bod’ but Kuroo had no doubt he’d get there in time. He allowed himself a split second fantasy of resting his forehead on Sawamura's wide, capable shoulders.

Kuroo then realized how utterly pathetic he was for Sawamura, because this new development only made him adore him more, only made him more wistful for all the time he could have spent with Sawamura, watching and growing and changing with him.

“Sawamura,” he called out, smirk settling into place naturally on his lips.

He turned around, eyes squinting before widening comically. “Kuroo?” he said, and had his voice always been so deep? Kuroo was making a lot of (re)discoveries today that he hadn’t really been prepared for.

“The one and only,” he replied, and then promptly ran out of words to say.

So he just kept smiling at him, panicking internally.

“So what brings you here to Miyagi?”

“Hey, Daichi,” said Suga, coming up behind them with a big box of noodles in his arms. “Oh, Kuroo-san’s here too, hello!”

Kuroo thanked his lucky stars. “Hey, Sugawara-san.”

He pulled a face at that. “I meant to correct you earlier. Just Suga is fine.”

“Then you can just call me Kuroo, as well.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” said Sawamura, taking a pack of noodles from Sugawara’s box and putting it in his basket.

“Oh! I just moved here. Change of pace, and all that.”

Sawamura nodded. “I see. Where do you work?”

“I work for a publishing company in Tokyo. Textbooks, scientific journals, that sort of thing.”

“Tokyo?” 

“Yeah. I work from home. I have to go in around once a month or so for meetings and paperwork but the rest of it is just stuff I can do anywhere.”

“Wow, sounds like a comfy job,” Sugawara said, looking impressed.

Kuroo smiled and said nothing about the constant late nights and the nightmare senior editors he had to deal with.

Sugawara started stacking the noodles on the shelf. “I was telling Kuroo about the neighborhood volleyball association,” he said, and Kuroo groaned internally. “It’ll be great if we have him on our team. Bet Iwaizumi and Oikawa would hate him.”

Kuroo didn’t know who these people were that would hate him but he cut in before he could start talking strategy. “Oh, do you still play volleyball too, Sawamura?”

“Yeah, I’m on the team with Suga.”

“Oh that’s nice,” Kuroo said. “So what have you been up to these days?”

“I teach math at Karasuno High,” he said, and Kuroo blinked.

“Ah, so you’re Sawamura-sensei now, and not just Sawamura-san!” Kuroo laughed and clapped his hands once. “ _Sawamura-sensei_. That’s got a nice ring to it.”

Sawamura rolled his eyes, though he did look a little pink.

“Daichi coaches the girls’ high school team, too,” Sugawara cut in, seemingly very amused by the information.

“I’m only a volunteer coach,” Sawamura grumbled, going pinker still.

“Yeah ‘cuz you wouldn’t accept a formal position despite them begging you.”

“Sawamura-sensei is popular too, I see,” Kuroo smirked at him. He idly wondered how many of those girls had a crush on Sawamura.

He probably had more than half of the student population thirsting after him, and Kuroo couldn’t exactly blame them. He was in the same boat as they were after all.

“Why are you making it sound so weird,” Sawamura grumbled, shooting him a disconcerted look. 

“I’m not making it weird,” said Kuroo, scoffing. “I’m just saying. Because, you know. You look good.”

Both Sawamura and Sugawara turned to give him looks of various degrees of incredulity.

“Alright then,” said Sugawara, smiling too wide before quickly (too quickly?) walking away, leaving Kuroo and Sawamura standing in the there in the instant foods aisle.

“Okay,” said Sawamura, giving him a wan smile and turning back to browse the shelves.

“I wasn’t insinuating anything weird,” Kuroo pressed, realizing exactly what he had accidentally insinuated. “I just. Here,” he said, handing Sawamura a bag of tomatoes that he’d picked up.

Sawamura took it with a look of befuddlement. “Um?”

“Here, just, as a token of appreciation,” Kuroo said, regretting every word coming out of his mouth.

Sawamura looked about as perplexed as Kuroo had ever seen him. “For what?”

“Just. Appreciation for you,” Kuroo said, beginning to want to die. “Please, Sawamura. Take it.”

The little old ladies doing their shopping turned to look. 

Kuroo and Sawamura continued to hold onto the bag of tomatoes before Kuroo let go and quickly started walking out of the shop.

“You have to pay for those, Kuroo!” said Suga, so Kuroo did the only thing he could do and put his entire basket of groceries by the door and left without buying anything.

-

Thanks to some creative bartering with a very smug-faced Sugawara, he had found out that Sawamura’s morning jog took him through his street once a week. He hadn’t been able to find out which day though, so he’d just woken up at the ass-crack of dawn for the last few days—mug of coffee in hand and fighting to keep his eyes opened—vigilant for the sound of footsteps so he could maybe catch him and have a conversation. Or flirt badly. Either was fine.

And today, at 5.45 am, all of Kuroo’s hard work bore fruit when Sawamura finally made an appearance.

“Sawamura-sensei,” he called from the balcony, steaming mug of coffee in one hand as he leaned against the railing. “Good morning!”

Sawamura turned and his eyes went wide, his entire face flushing. Probably because Kuroo wasn’t wearing a shirt.

“For god’s sake, Kuroo! Put some clothes on!” he sputtered, looking absolutely scandalized. 

Kuroo didn’t think his being in the shorts he slept in would garner such a reaction. Granted, they were a little _short_ short, but still. “I’m wearing shorts, though.”

“You’re still half naked!”

“But the weather is so nice!” he protested, shifting so his hip was leaning on the railing. “And— wait, is that a dog? You have a dog?”

There was a gorgeous white and grey husky standing patiently at Sawamura’s feet, and when Kuroo finally spotted it he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed earlier.

“Yeah,” Sawamura said, obviously amused at his reaction. “Her name’s Sophie.”

“Soph—oh my god like Sophie from Howl’s Castle?” 

“Yep.”

Kuroo almost jumped off his balcony. “Can I pet her?”

Daichi laughed. “Sure, if you put some clothes on.”

He huffed but he agreed anyway, and pulled on the first shirt and sweatpants he could find and raced to the door. But when he stepped out he was calm and collected.

The dog sat obediently by Sawamura’s feet, looking at him with her head cocked to the side.

“Hello, Sophie-chan,” he cooed, crouching down and giving her his hand to sniff. “Hello, sweet girl.”

She sniffed at it and gave it a couple small licks.

Daichi whistled softly. “Go ahead.”

Now that she had permission, she stood, clearly excited judging by how hard her tail was wagging.

“Hi, Sophie-chan!” Kuroo patted her head a couple times before using both hands to give her neck a good scratch. “Hi! You’re so cute! You’re such a cute girl!”

She barked once, and before Daichi could do anything, she jumped on him, bowling him over and attacking his face with dog kisses. 

“Sophie, no!” Daichi quickly puller her away by the collar. “Oh god I’m so sorry. She gets too excited when she meets new people sometimes.”

“Sophie-chan!” Kuroo laughed. “I love you too!” He sat upright again and wiped his face with his sleeve. “Oh god, it’s been a while since I got to play with a dog.”

Daichi gave him a hand to help him up. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Kuroo took the hand and pretended like he just didn’t experience a full-body zing. “She’s such a beautiful dog,” he said, reaching down to pet her again. She stood still this time. “How old is she?”

“She’s around four.” Daichi smiled down at her, an adoring expression on his face. “She’s my princess.”

Kuroo grit his teeth to keep from saying anything cheesy. “Sure looks like it.”

Daichi looked at his phone. “Okay, we should get going,” he said, sliding it back into his pocket. “Are you coming to the game tomorrow? Did Suga text you the address?”

Kuroo didn’t particularly want to go to the game, but he also didn’t want to refuse when Sawamura was asking him. “Yes he did,” he said, plastering a half smile on his face. “I’ll see if I can make it.”

“You should come, they’re a lot of fun and you can also meet more people.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes. “Did Sugawara tell you I had no social life?”

“Well, is he correct?”

“Weelll,” Kuroo hummed, making a see-saw motion with his hands. “I keep myself occupied.”

“Sure,” said Daichi, almost exactly like Sugawara had. “Well, okay. Come if you’re able. I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, see ya,” Kuroo waved at his retreating back. “Bye, Sophie!”

Once they were gone, Kuroo went back upstairs to make breakfast.

Maybe he should listen to Sawamura and Sugawara after all. Try and cultivate a social life so he wouldn’t be a shut in.

He could try and talk to Sawamura some more too. Sounded like a plan.

-

“Why didn’t you come to the game?” said Suga the minute he stepped into the store.

“Sorry, didn’t feel like it,” he said, shrugging and making his way to the produce section. “I’m not so much into volleyball anymore.”

He had, in fact, felt so anxious and unpleasant over the fact that he would be playing in a roomful of people who expected his volleyball skill to be something special, since his team had gone to nationals in high school after all. But Kuroo had stopped playing in college, and it had been years since he’d even tossed a ball for fun.

The idea of going in there and completely falling short of everyone’s expectations, of Sawamura’s expectations, had completely put him off the idea.

“Are you going to spend all day at home and just come out once a week to buy groceries?” asked Sugawara, following behind him.

“So what if I do,” Kuroo taunted him, shoving some onions into his basket. “Are you going to come and drag me out of my house?”

Sugawara sighed and shrugged. “Okay, suit yourself then,” he said, and began walking back.

“I joined a pottery class.”

Sugawara turned around. “What?”

“I joined a pottery class. In the community center.” It was a small class, with mostly older women and a few old men who all seemed to be friendly with each other, so the atmosphere had been warm and intimate, and Kuroo fit in easily.

“Oh,” said Sugawara. “Well that’s good.” He looked down, seemingly thinking about something. “So you’re really not going to block for us?” he asked, looking at him with a forlorn expression.

“Aw,” said Kuroo, patting him on his shoulder. “No.”

-

Kuroo had tried his best to be up in time on the one day Sawamura jogged past his house. He’d missed one week early on, but he’d been able to be up every week over the last month.

He’d thought perhaps Sawamura would change his route, but he didn’t, systematically showing up at the same time every Friday morning, sometimes in pants, sometimes in shorts (god bless). Sometimes he even wore tank tops (god _bless_ ).

Kuroo hadn’t intended to be shirtless the first couple times they’d met, but Sawamura’s reactions had been priceless: the eye rolls, the chagrined sigh, the exasperated groaning, the facepalming—it had been too much fun to pass up. So he made sure to be shirtless every time he waited for him, just to see Sawamura admonish him.

Sawamura had quickly caught on that he was being played, but he still kept it up anyway, and it had become their Friday morning ritual of sorts. They’d bicker, and then Kuroo would go downstairs to play with Sophie for a little bit, and then they would part ways so Sawamura could continue on his jog. 

If Kuroo hadn’t seen Daichi during any other time of the week, he’d give him his fruits on Friday morning. The idea had occurred to him in the shower the night he’d made an absolute fool out of himself with the tomatoes. People liked to be given gifts. Sawamura didn’t seem like the type who’d appreciate flowers and Kuroo wasn’t too great a cook so homemade treats were out of the question. 

But fruits though.

You could eat them. And some fruit even had symbolism behind them.

Also, the idea of it was just funny. Who randomly gave fruit to people? The confused expression on Sawamura’s face when he’d been handed the tomatoes just sealed the deal.

Kuroo would give him fruit. And it’d be great.

So far he’d given him plums (spring, patience) and cherries (love, harmony, friendship). 

Today he’d give him strawberries (for good health). 

Like clockwork, Sawamura turned the corner, Sophie trotting along at his side. 

“Hey, Sensei!” He called out, raising his mug in a salute. “How are you this fine Friday morning?”

-

Suga invited Kuroo out for drinks with the rest of the volleyball association. Kuroo didn’t particularly want to go, because he didn’t drink alcohol, but he also sort of wanted to go out and have fun with people his own age. And Sawamura would be there, too.

Suga had introduced him to the other members of the association, and to Iwaizumi and Oikawa, who supposedly would have hated him. They seemed nice enough, even if Oikawa was a bit much. 

Sawamura had shown up a little late, but it had been fine, he’d laughed and joked and had a generally good time.

Then someone had tried to push alcohol on him. He said he didn’t want any.

And then things kind of went downhill.

-

When Kuroo got home, he wasn’t feeling too great, plagued by self-doubt and a nagging worry that he was perhaps making things hard on Sawamura and Suga. 

He’d been grateful to him for stepping in when their ribbing about alcohol had gotten a little uncomfortable, but he hated that he hadn’t been able to shut it down himself, just because he hadn’t wanted to seem impolite to Suga and Sawamura’s friends, but also because he didn’t want to give up his reasons for not drinking. And he’d honestly been a little pissed that they’d tried to goad him into drinking when he very clearly said he didn’t want to.

Suga had apologized multiple times, and Sawamura looked pretty upset, too. He thanked them for the concern, but left early anyway. 

He knew if he said anything about why he didn’t want to drink alcohol it would have brought back memories of grad school that he’d spent in some sort of weird half-asleep half-awake state, when he’d blindly focused on existing, not knowing what he was doing or how he was doing it or why he was doing it, carrying regret with him like a manacle he couldn’t take off. The sleepless nights that had gotten so bad he’d ended up having to drink to fall asleep, which had messed him up further than he already was.

He hated that he had so carelessly tossed away so much of his time, but also accepted that it hadn’t precisely been under his conscious control either.

He hated that he'd been someone so unlike himself until he finally decided to get help. And he hated that he felt like he had to hide this because it wasn't something that most people talked about, or wanted to know.

He called Kenma.

“What do you want,” said Kenma, picking up within two rings. His voice and the familiar greeting was a sort of beacon for him to home in on and focus.

“Hello to you too, Kenma,” he said sounding cheerful enough. “How are you? Are you missing me?”

“Hardly,” he scoffed, and Kuroo laughed, having expected that exact same answer. “Surprising that you’ve called me.”

“What I can’t call my _bestest friend_ in the _whole wide world_ every once in a while just to talk?”

“No.”

Kuroo laughed heartily. “Well damn. How will I ever recover.”

“You’ll live,” said Kenma, laughing softly. “How’s Miyagi?” 

“Miyagi’s good,” he replied, laying down on his bed and taking his glasses off before pulling the covers up and rubbing his eyes. “There’s like this little community center where I’m taking pottery lessons. The old people love me.”

“They recognize one of their own, I bet.”

“I have accepted the fact that I’m a geriatric in a 28 year old’s body, so if you’re trying to hurt me you’ll need to think of another way.”

“I knew you’d make peace with your true nature eventually,” said Kenma. The sound of keys clacking picked up. “Did you manage to make anything yet?”

“Yeah, I made a flower pot. I might transfer my aloe plant into it.”

“It’s still alive?”

“I mean, aloe’s pretty hard to kill.”

“You’ve killed succulents.”

“Succulents are too touchy.”

“No, you’re too touchy.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

Suddenly, something unmistakably from the Doom OST started blasting, and Kuroo almost dropped his phone. “Okay! Okay fine I’ll stop,” he yelled, and the music quieted down again. “You’re a fucking tyrant,” Kuroo huffed.

“Only because you’re annoying.”

They both remained silent save for the sound of Kenma’s keyboard, and the dulled sounds of heavy guitar riffs from Kenma’s speakers.

“How are you?” said Kenma.

“I’ll be okay,” he replied.

“I see,” he said, and remained silent. “So do you want to hear about this new game I’m beta testing?”

Kuroo nodded, smiling at the fact that Kenma had caught on that he just wanted a distraction. “Yeah, that’d be cool. How much are they paying you for this?”

-

“You should be wearing a jacket,” said Sawamura as he stood behind Kuroo in the checkout line.

“I’ll be fine, Sa’amura-sensei, thank you for your concern, though.”

“It’s pretty cold, Kuroo-kun” said Kato-san, looking up at him worriedly. “And it’s going to rain soon. Do you have an umbrella?”

Kuroo smiled at her. “No, but that’s okay! I don’t live too far from here. A little bit of rain won’t hurt. I’ll be fine.”

“You’ll get sick,” Sawamura said, digging in his bag and taking out an umbrella. “Take my umbrella.”

“No I won’t,” he replied, pushing it back towards him. “I’ll be fine.”

-

Kuroo sniffled as he leaned against the balcony. The steam rising from the mug was nice and warm against his face, and he smiled a little at the small comfort.

On time, he heard the sound of footsteps, both human and dog. He raised his hand to wave.

Daichi did not wave back. “Kuroo, are you kidding me.”

“Good morning to Sophie-chan and Sophie-chan only.” Kuroo replied petulantly, inhaling a little bit of phlegm that was beginning to leak out his nose. 

“You’re literally sniffling,” Sawamura yelled, looking exasperated.

“I’m not sick!” Kuroo yelled back. And then he sneezed mightily, sending hot coffee flying all over the place, and also on himself.

Sawamura covered his face with both his hands, and his shoulders slumped.

“I’m fine!” said Kuroo, but it sounded more like ‘I’b fyde’, and was probably too loud for this time of day.

Sawamura glared at him. “Come down and let me in.”

Kuroo was about to argue when he realized what Sawamura was saying. “What?”

“Let me in, and I’ll see for myself if you’re fine or not.”

“You don’t have to _see_ anything,” Kuroo snapped. “I said I’m fine.”

“Alright, be like that, then!” spat Sawamura, and stormed off in a huff.

“Fine!” Kuroo spat back, and then sighed.

-

Kuroo woke up when his phone rang. He had been sleeping all day, and he was still shivering even when he had 2 blankets on top of him. His head hurt, and his face hurt, and he was sweaty and sticky and cranky. He felt weak all over but his phone was close by, so he was at least saved from getting out of bed to answer it.

“‘Elo,” he muttered, laying his head down on the phone.

“Kuroo,” said Sawamura, his deep voice cutting through the fog in Kuroo’s head. “Hi. Are you at home?”

Kuroo nodded, completely forgetting the events that had happened earlier. “Yeh,” he said, and sniffled.

“Do you want soup?”

That was a random thing to ask, but Kuroo went with it. Now that the topic of food had been broached, he suddenly realised he was starving. “Yeh.”

“Can you come down and let me in?”

“Ok, gib me a bidid.”

“... did you say ‘give me a minute’?”

“Yeh.”

“Alright. I’m at your door.”

Kuroo hummed and ended the call before pushing himself upright. He pulled one of the blankets over his shoulders and slowly made his way down the stairs.

When he opened the door, the first thing he noticed was Sawamura’s worried face, and the next thing was the grocery bags in his hands.

“You look like you got run over by a truck,” he said solemnly.

Kuroo turned and began walking back upstairs.

Sawamura let him go, but when they reached the living room he found himself being unceremoniously herded toward his bedroom.

“What are you doid,” he huffed, struggling weakly against the hands pressing on his shoulders. 

“You need to be in bed,” Sawamura said, pushing him all the way till he plopped down on his comforter. “Did you check your temperature? Did you eat anything or take any medicine?”

Kuroo shook his head.

Kuroo expected a scolding, but what he got instead was Sawamura sighing before gently brushing his hair out of his face and pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. “You’re too hot,” he muttered. 

“Hot dab,” said Kuroo. “Call the police ab the firemad.”

Sawamura gave him the most unimpressed look he’d ever seen on anyone’s (except maybe Akaashi’s) face, but the corner of his lips twitched and gave him away. Kuroo smiled at him cheekily, and Sawamura rolled his eyes.

“I’ll bring you your soup,” he said, and left the room.

Kuroo got a little more comfortable, pulling his legs up onto the bed and leaning against the bed frame.

When he came back he was dozing sitting upright and Sawamura had to tap him gently to wake him up.

“Hey, I got your food,” he said, setting a tray down across his lap, with a glass of water and a bowl almost filled to the brim with thick soup, with small strips of meat and mushrooms in it. It smelled delicious even when Kuroo couldn't exactly smell much; the aromatic steam soothed his nose and cleared his sinuses a little.

“Thas,” he said, and began slowly eating the soup. “Thes so buch pepper,” he complained.

Sawamura nodded and pushed the water closer. “Pepper will help with the congestion.”

Kuroo pulled a face but went back to eating. He could feel the congestion getting better almost instantly. He inhaled deeply and sighed. “What time is it anyway?” He asked, letting the spoon stick out of his mouth.

Sawamura looked at his watch. “It's around 3:00.”

“Did school let out early?” Kuroo wondered.

“Suga couldn’t check in on you so I called off early today.”

Kuroo stared at him, processing the fact that Sawamura had left work early specifically to check in on him. “You didn't have to,” he said, looking back at his soup as he slowly lifted another spoonful to his mouth.

“Someone had to.” Sawamura shrugged. “I’d rather suffer a minor inconvenience and check in on you than discover you’d died from a simple fever because you were too stubborn to accept you were sick.”

“I wasn’t feeling so bad in the morning,” he said, looking at Sawamura and frowning.

“Okay, I'll take your word for it.”

When he was done eating, Sawamura pushed a thermometer into his mouth and checked his temperature. It was not anything too worrying but he definitely had a fever.

“If it doesn't get better in a couple of days we’re going to the doctor,” he said, his tone leaving no space for argument.

Kuroo meekly agreed.

“All right, eat this and then you can go back to sleep,” said Sawamura, taking the tray and putting it on the bed side table before handing him a pill and giving him the glass of water. When Kuroo was done, he fluffed Kuroo’s pillow a little and helped him lay back down. He even asked Kuroo where he kept his extra blankets, and sighed when Kuroo said he didn’t have any.

“Why don’t you have more blankets?” He asked shaking out the blankets that Kuroo did have and covering him with it.

“I’m the only person living here, two blankets is enough,” Kuroo muttered, curling up on his side. 

“Fair enough. I’ll check in with you in a couple of hours. If you still feel cold, I’ll bring you some of mine. Can I have your spare keys so I can let myself in?”

Kuroo nodded, already drowsy.

Sawamura glanced at Kuroo’s phone for a moment before he placed it right next to his pillow. “Good. Call me if you need anything.”

“Ok,” mumbled Kuroo, looking at Sawamura’s hazy figure though half closed eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, and gently pushed hair out of his face. Then he slapped a cold pad on his forehead. “Now go to sleep.”

-

Four days after he’d first come down with the fever, Kuroo finally felt well enough to stand and not want to immediately pass out.

Sugawara and some of the ladies from the pottery class had called and checked on him once or twice, but it had been Sawamura that had dropped by every morning before school and every evening after, with delicious, healthy food and a put upon frown because Kuroo was editing manuscripts instead of resting in bed like he was supposed to.

He decided to go to the supermarket to pick up some snacks, but ended up loading his basket with regular food as well. Some of the regulars greeted him and asked after his health and he responded politely. Kuroo wondered how they even knew about it, and realized the neighborhood grapevine was denser than he’d initially thought. He saw apples, and remembered reading about how they stood for health and wisdom and joy and picked up the freshest, shiniest looking ones to give Sawamura the next time he saw him.

Which, funnily enough, happened to be right then.

“I'm glad to see you’re looking better,” said Sawamura, giving him a crooked little smile. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling much better, thanks to you,” he replied, and handed over the bag of apples.

Sawamura blinked, but accepted the apples anyway, used to receiving fruits from Kuroo by now. “You should be the one eating these.”

“I'm getting my own,” he said, showing him his basket full of healthy things. “I'm going to make curry, now that I can actually taste what I'm eating.” He grinned. 

“That's the worst part of being sick,” Sawamura replied, nodding.

“Thank you again for taking care of me, I really appreciate it,” he said, smiling gratefully. “I know I’m not the best patient because I never listen but I appreciate that you took care of me anyway, so thanks.”

“Hey, anytime,” said Sawamura, looking almost amused. Kuroo couldn't tell why he looked at him like that like he knew something that he did not. It didn’t feel malicious, or belittling, but he still felt a little out of the loop. And he didn’t appreciate that.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked. “Do I have something in my teeth?”

Sawamura looked confused. “Looking at you like what?”

“Like you’re in on a secret that I don’t know.”

“Oh,” he replied, shaking his head. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking you’re one of the most interesting people I’ve met.”

Kuroo squinted at him. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Nothing, nothing,” he said, his smile growing bigger.

“Now you’re just making me more curious.”

“It’s nothing, I promise.” Sawamura bit his bottom lip like he was trying to contain his laughter. “You’ll figure it out. Eventually. I think.” He thought about it for a moment. “We’ll see.”

“Saaaamuraaaaa.” He pouted.

“Stop pouting, big baby,” he said, reaching out to pinch Kuroo’s nose and giving it a little shake before letting go and stepping back. “I’ll see you around. Thanks for the apples.”

He turned and walked away. Kuroo stood in the middle of the aisle, covering his nose. The pinch had hurt, but it left him with butterflies in his stomach and a smile on his face.

-

“For someone who doesn’t like to join us for volleyball, you sure like to join us for drinks,” said Oikawa, looking at him over the rim of his beer mug.

“Don’t be so sure of that,” Kuroo retorted and he sat down next to Sawamura and scooted a little so Sugawara could sit down next to him. “I only came for Sawamura-sensei and Suga-chan.”

Oikawa pulled a face. “You’re so rude.”

Iwaizumi started. “Well you’re the one who started it.”

“Iwa-chan, you’re supposed to be on my side!”

Kuroo snorted. “Iwaizumi is a good, righteous man, how come none of that has rubbed off on you after all these years?”

“Oh, he rubs off on him alright,” said Suga, and Oikawa howled with laughter while Iwaizumi looked chagrined.

“He’s good at it, too” said Daichi, and Kuroo nearly choked on his beer.

“Why are you like this,” Iwaizumi groaned.

Oikawa finally got his laughter under his control and leaned into iwaizumi’s side to plant a kiss on his cheek with a loud ‘muah’. “They’re just jealous of your legendary skills in bed, Iwa-chan.”

“That’s exactly it,” said Suga, nodding solemnly.

“I wasn’t jealous of Iwaizumi before but now it feels like I should be too,” said Kuroo.

“We’re practically glowing green,” intoned Daichi.

Iwaizumi snorted. “You’re all so full of shit.”

“No that’s Oikawa.” Kuroo smirked at Oikawa’s offended squawk, and Daichi and Suga both clinked their beers with him.

Iwaizumi raised his beer too and they all laughed at Oikawa’s betrayed wail.

They were quiet for a while after till Iwaizumi spoke again.

“Kuroo, I thought you didn’t drink?”

Kuroo shrugged. “I don’t usually, but it’s been a while so I thought maybe I could indulge just a little.”

“Is that really the reason?” asked Sawamura, uncannily perceptive as always.

“It’s reason enough for me,” he returned.

The others nodded.

Suga hummed, picking at the label on the bottle. “So how’s living in the country? You like it here?”

Kuroo opened his mouth to answer but paused. Did he like it here, completely cut off from his old life, living like a hermit for most of the time? It wasn’t so bad, considering he had Sugawara and Daichi and the old ladies that fussed over him like he was their son. “I like it better than living in the city, I suppose.”

“That doesn’t sound like you actually like it, though,” said Iwaizumi.

“I… don’t particularly like it anywhere, but here’s better than the city, for sure.”

Oikawa grimaced. “Wow, Kuroo-kun, that’s kinda dark.”

Kuroo laughed. “Thanks, it’s the depression.”

Suga and Daichi chuckled a little, but the others looked pretty uncomfortable.

“Sorry, that’s just kind of how I joke,” he said, smiling in a vain attempt to be reassuring and rid the atmosphere of the awkward tension that had settled around them.

“He’s not depressed, just pining.” Sugawara chimed in next to him. 

“Oh?” said Oikawa, looking much more interested. “Who are you pining for?”

“I’m not—it’s not of your business,” Kuroo finished, taking a big gulp of his beer. “It’s fine. It’s being taken care of.”

Sugawara shook his head. “It’s not being taken care of.” 

Daichi snorted. “Give the guy a break.”

“Daichi, stop coddling him!”

“I’m not _coddling_ him, you guys are just bullies.”

Sugawara and Oikawa shared a look, then Oikawa and Iwaizumi looked at each other. Then all three of them looked at Kuroo, before turning to look at Daichi.

“Ohhhhhh,” said Oikawa and Iwaizumi at once, grins turning mischievous.

Daichi frowned. “Stop looking like that.”

Oikawa and Suga piped down, and they resumed talking about general topics, and finished a bottle of sake between them. After a while, Daichi got up to fetch them more food and water.

“Dai-chan used to date Iwa-chan, you know,” Oikawa said, smirking at him over his mug of beer.

Kuroo shrugged. “And what’s that have to do with anything?”

“It means he has _taste_ , Kuroo-chan.”

“Ouch,” Suga hissed next to him.

“Well Iwaizumi is dating you. That says something, I think.”

Now it was Iwaizumi’s turn to shrug. “He’s not wrong. Daichi’s got a soft spot for dumb people.”

Oikawa squinted. “Was that… that was a self burn, I think. For both of you.”

Suga nodded solemnly. “I think it definitely was.”

“But then you agree that Iwaizumi dating you makes him dumb, then,” Kuroo returned, tone not so pleasant.

Oikawa’s eyes narrowed. “We’re talking about you here, Kuroo ‘I’m horny for Daichi but too chickenshit to do something about it’ Tetsurou.”

“Oikawa, that’s enough,” said Iwaizumi, interfering before the situation could go further downhill. Even Suga looked a little ruffled.

Oikawa huffed but stayed quiet.

Kuroo rolled his eyes and took another sip of his beer.

Sawamura returned to a table shrouded in awkward silence.

“I was gone for barely ten minutes,” he said, looking somewhat surprised. “What happened?”

“Things got a little touchy,” said Iwaizumi. “That’s all.”

Suga made a comment about volleyball, coaxing Oikawa to talk again. Once the conversation picked up once more, Oikawa shot Kuroo a look out of the corner of his eye and refilled his beer mug for him, clearly trying to reconcile.

Kuroo accepted and murmured thanks, and it was like the awkwardness had never happened.

Another beer later, Kuroo was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol, as his speech flowed a little quicker than it usually did, his smiles coming easier. He laughed louder, and the others noticed, giving him teasing grins.

“Uh-oh, looks like Kuroo’s feeling it, huh, Daichi,” said Oikawa, grinning. 

Kuroo turned to Sawamura, blinked, and then frowned, and then blinked while frowning. “How come everyone else calls you Daichi but I can’t?”

Daichi smiled placatingly as he pushed the glass of water into his hand. “No one said you couldn’t, Kuroo. You can call me that if you want.”

Kuroo nodded. “Okay. I do like the sound of Sa’amura-sensei better, though. Rolls off the tongue much nicer than ‘Daichi sensei’, I think.”

Daichi pushed the hand with the water upward. “Or you could not be a weirdo and stop calling me sensei, have you considered that?”

Suga chuckled. “I think he may have a thing for that, Daichi.”

Kuroo took a sip of the water and handed the glass back. “You mean teacher-student role play? Nah. I just like saying ‘sensei’ a lot?”

Oikawa laughed. “That’s what Suga-chan mean by ‘thing’, Kuro-chan.”

Kuroo frowned harder. “Is it weird? That I like calling Daichi Samura-sensei?” 

“It’s not weird,” Daichi pushed the glass back into his hands. “You should finish the glass.”

“It’s a little weird,” said Suga, and then yelped. “Or maybe it’s not weird. What do I know?”

“You keep doing what you’re doing, Kuroo,” Iwaizumi said, smiling at him. “We’re going to head home for the night. This child has an early morning tomorrow.”

“Iwa-chan, I’m _not_ a child,” said Oikawa, scrunching his face very much like a child.

“I guess I’ll have to get this one home too,” said Daichi, looking at Kuroo. Kuroo drank more water obediently.

“You don’t _have_ to do anything,” Suga said, smirking like he knew exactly what he was doing. “Kuroo’s a grown man and he’s barely had anything to drink.”

“I drank after a long time. I’m tipsy.” Kuroo shrugged. “I may trip and fall up the stairs. Sensei is morally obligated to make sure I don’t break my neck.”

Daichi rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that.”

“Sure,” said Suga.

“Sure,” echoed Iwaizumi.

“It would be a _tragedy_ if he died,” said Oikawa.

Daichi pulled his coat on. “Fuck all of you.”

-

They were both lying down on the floor of Kuroo’s living room. His apartment smelled soothingly like spiced chai, thanks to the candles he’d burned before he left to go to the bar. Daichi’s head was close to his, though their bodies weren’t—Kuroo had contorted himself so he could toss his legs on the sofa, and Daichi was being plain and just lying there. They were both facing Kuroo’s open balcony, sharing a pillow.

The alcohol from earlier left a pleasant buzz in Kuroo’s head. He was not drunk. Drunk was unpleasant, and disorienting, and a reminder that he was trying to run away from his problems instead of facing them.

This was a much nicer feeling. He was happy, and aware of his surroundings, of Daichi’s short hair tickling his scalp if he moved his head a little. He was warm, and he could smell hints of Daichi’s cologne. Or he thought it was that, at least.

“Why are we lying on the floor again?” Daichi’s voice was exasperated, but Kuroo thought he could also hear amusement.

“Because I wanted to look at the stars, and you wouldn’t let me sit in the park, or the car.”

“Yeah, because it’s winter, and you just recovered from a cold.” Daichi huffed. “Still doesn’t explain why we have to _lie on the floor_ for this? Your sofa is literally right there.”

“It’s ‘cuz it’s nice, Sensei,” he said, and smiled when he heard Daichi sigh.

They remained silent for a while after that, breathing soft, the whole world still.

Kuroo looked at the stars and felt nostalgic for something he never had. Living in the city, even in the suburbs, meant constant light pollution, and not many visible stars. Out here in Miyagi the stars were brighter, and more plentiful, sparkling. He thought about the speed of light, the vastness of the galaxy, and wondered if the stars he was seeing were still alive.

“Do you believe in reincarnation, Daichi?” He asked, holding one hand up and looking at the sky through his fingers.

“I haven’t particularly thought about it,” Daichi said, and Kuroo could feel his hair tickle his scalp again when he moved. “Why’re you asking, all of a sudden?”

“Just thinking,” Kuroo said, folding his fingers one by one, counting the stars between his index and pinky. “It’s the peak of romance, isn’t it? Finding the love of your life, dying, reincarnating, and finding them again, reuniting again. Finding them across the generations. Being entwined with them for eternity.”

“Oh no.”

Kuroo hummed questioningly, putting his hand back down. “What was that for?”

“You’re one of _those_ types, huh.”

Kuroo poked him blindly. His finger met solid muscle and bent backwards. It hurt, but only a little.

“Hey,” Daichi scolded him, swatting his hand away. “I mean, you’re one of those sentimental drunks. The type that gets drunk and immediately wants to wax poetic about the weeds in the parking lot.”

“I do not,” Kuroo started, but realized that was sort of what he’d been doing. “At least I’m not talking about weeds,” he said dourly, and Daichi snorted.

“I actually think weeds would be an improvement to reincarnation theories.”

“You don’t find the idea appealing?” Kuroo asked, turning on his side and propping his head on his bent arm. “That a person is destined for you?”

Daichi shrugged. “I suppose? It’d probably get tiring, dealing with the same person every go around.”

This time was Kuroo’s turn to shrug. “I think it’s comforting, knowing there’s a soulmate waiting for you.”

He got a noncommittal hum in response.

“I’d wait for you every go around, you know?”

Daichi turned his head to look at him, expression somber. “Well, I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, and I’m gonna try my best to keep you from getting killed, so don’t worry too much about how you’ll fare in your next life yet.”

Even if Daichi hadn’t commented on Kuroo wanting to be his soulmate, the fact that Daichi wanted to keep him around in _this_ life settled over him like a soft blanket, and Kuroo smiled. He was sober enough to know it must look disgustingly sappy and pleased, and he didn’t mind it, because he _was_ pleased, so very, very much.

He reached sideways this time, dragging his fingertips on the floor until he was close enough to tug on Daichi’s sleeve with one finger.

“Hmm?”

“You’re a really nice guy, Daichi,” he said, and stopped.

“O…kay?”

“I’m… Not.”

“Is that so.”

“I asked Akaashi out after I graduated college. Even if I wasn’t particularly into him. He said yes. I dated him for more than a year.”

Daichi hummed.

“I knew Bokuto liked him, but I still did it anyway.”

Kuroo waited for Daichi’s judgment.

“Why are you telling me this? I thought your ploy was to get me to like you?”

“Yeah, but I also want you to know the important things about me.” He didn’t want Daichi finding out from someone else, down the road.

“You’re still in contact with Bokuto?” Daichi turned to look at him, and his expression was placid as it usually was, brown eyes warm like they always were, but it meant so much more this time, to have his ugly nature revealed and to be met with calm consideration.

“Yeah. He calls me all the time. Last I heard he and Akaashi are dating now.”

“Bokuto is too good for this world,” Daichi said, a smile tugging at his lips.

Kuroo felt a rush of self-loathing out of nowhere. “Bokuto is too good for _me_ , is what you mean to say though, right?”

Daichi shrugged. “If he still wants to talk to you, then he doesn’t think that way. I think that counts for something, definitely.”

Ah. Kuroo had never thought about it like that.

“You’re fine, Kuroo,” Daichi said, and Kuroo wasn’t completely sure how to classify the expression on Daichi’s face. Looked like amusement. Also looked like exasperation.

He wanted to think it also perhaps looked a little like fondness.

“You’re a really really nice guy, Sawamura,” Kuroo smiled at him all cheesy like. “You’re a great guy. Thanks for talking to me.”

“Kuroo, what—”

“I like talking to you. You listen. Feels like I don’t have many people left that want to listen to me.”

“You can always talk to me,” he said, certain, like a promise. “I’ll always listen.”

Kuroo tried to laugh off how unexpectedly vulnerable he’d been. “It’s not that serious.”

“Doesn’t matter if it’s serious or not, if you want to talk, come to me.”

“O- ok,” he mumbled, a little perplexed by the vehemence in his tone.

“Okay.” Daichi nodded, seemingly satisfied with his response before he switched topics. “Can you show me the constellations you know?” He tucked his hands under his head, and the angle between his arm and chest looked like an invitation.

Kuroo scooted closer to take it, putting his head on Daichi’s shoulder tentatively. Daichi inhaled, exhaled, and stayed quiet.

Kuroo pressed even closer, but only slightly, still unsure about this new physical boundary he was breaching. He pointed his finger at the sky. “Canis Major,” he said.

Daichi pressed his cheek to Kuroo’s hair, and asked him to continue.

-

Kuroo woke up when his alarm went off, and he blinked to reorient himself. After that unexpectedly open and heartfelt conversation, the last thing he remembered was lying on his living room floor with Daichi and looking at the stars, and the vague impression of arms around him.

He was in his bedroom now, so that meant Daichi must’ve carried him and tucked him in. 

He’d been carried in Daichi’s beautiful bara arms, and he hadn’t even been awake to enjoy it. For shame.

His clock said it was still early enough that Daichi wouldn’t have jogged past yet, so he decided to wait for him.

He was still in his jeans, so he changed into sweats and put his glasses on-- Daichi must have taken them off for him. The thought sat like an ember in his stomach. He made himself some coffee, and once that was done, he set up on his balcony to wait.

After having just recovered from a nasty cold a couple of weeks before, Kuroo decided to wear a hoodie for once, deciding that being warm and un-sick was better than trying to prove a point. The sky was cloudless and the early morning sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. He was contemplating his plans for the day when, on time as always, Daichi and Sophie turned onto his street.

He sat up excitedly and waved, and Daichi spotted him immediately. 

“I’m glad you’re wearing sensible clothes for once,” said Daichi, smiling up at him. Sophie stood by his legs and looked up at Kuroo, panting.

“Yeah, I decided to listen to your advice.” Kuroo grinned. “Is Sensei proud of me?”

“Am I proud that you’ve finally found your missing brain cell? Yes, actually.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes. “But you can’t deny you miss seeing me in all my shirtless glory, right?”

“I have nothing to deny, but you can think whatever if that makes you happy.” Daichi reached down and scratched Sophie’s cheek before looking back at him. “Want to come down and say hi?”

Kuroo practically flew down the stairs, making a quick stop on the way.

When he emerged from the house, Daichi was leaning against the gate, Sophie sitting at his feet obediently. When she saw him, she stood up, her tail wagging so hard her hind end wagged along too.

“Hi, Sophie!” he cooed, but before he opened the gate to let her jump on him, he handed Daichi a bag of oranges. “Here. For you.”

Daichi blinked but took them anyway. “Oranges? I’m not sick.”

“Then eat them so you don’t get sick,” Kuroo said, finally giving Sophie the attention she wanted. “These are for you, as thanks for yesterday night.”

“You don’t need to thank me for that,” he replied, voice solemn all of a sudden. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

It had been a big deal to him, though. “Well, keep it anyway,” he said, not looking at Daichi. Sophie pushed her snout into his thigh and he bent down so her could ruffle the sides of her neck and murmur sweet nothings into her ears.

“Kuroo.”

“Mm.”

“Hey. Look here.”

Kuroo tilted his face upward even if he didn’t particularly want to. 

Daichi looked him right in the eye. “I meant it, you know. If you want to talk, you can talk to me.”

Kuroo’s chest hurt. He nodded helplessly.

“Alright then, we better get going.” Daichi whistled softly and Sophie immediately trotted back to him. “Thanks for the oranges, Kuroo, I’ll see you around,” he said, and with a quick wave, he was off.

“Yeah, see you,” Kuroo murmured, raising his hand to feebly wave at Daichi’s broad back.

-

“Honestly, what are you doing?” asked Suga, folding his hands and looking exasperated.

“Um.” Kuroo looked at the basket he’d just set on the counter. “Buying groceries?”

Suga rolled his eyes. “Wow I never would have figured,” he said, beginning to ring up his items. “I mean, what are you doing still pining after Daichi? Isn't it obvious he likes you?”

“He does?” Kuroo asked, bagging his bread and eggs.

Suga slapped his hands on the counter. “Are you blind?” He asked, giving him a disbelieving look, mouth open in apparent shock. “You must be, because only a blind person would not see how soft he is on you.”

“Suga-chan,” Kuroo sighed, shaking his head. “Sawamura is just kind like that.” He opened another bag for his milk and frozen chicken. “He’d do the same things for you and any of his friends. It’s not like I'm anything special. He probably just wants to make sure I don’t die because I’m too damn dysfunctional to take care of myself.”

“If Daichi really thought that, he’d tell you to go to therapy, not coddle your drunk ass and bring you homemade soup when you’re sick.” 

Kuroo shrugged.

“Well, why don't you try asking him on a date?”

Kuroo pressed his lips together, tired of the conversation. “Why, so he can turn me down?”

“You don’t know that,” Suga pressed. “Why don’t you give it a shot instead of just giving him whatever’s in your basket when you bump into him here?”

“I’ll have you know, except the tomatoes, all the fruits have meaning behind them.”

Suga handed him the receipt with a flat look.

“Fine, fine. I'll ask him tomorrow.”

Suga shook his head. “Ask him now.”

Kuroo blinked. “What? You want me to call him?”

“No calls necessary.” Suga smirked, pointing with his chin. “He's right there.”

Kuroo turned around to see where Suga was pointing. “What are you—Oh God he really is,” he muttered.

“Well? Go for it.”

“Hey, Sawamura,” he said, forcing himself to sound casual.

Sawamura smiled at him and nodded back at Suga. “Hey you two. What’s up?”

“Not much,” Kuroo said, smiling too wide. “Nothing at all, actually. But no, wait. I was wondering if I could ask you something.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“I wanted to ask you if you uh—” Kuro cleared his throat. “I wanted, I wanted to ask you about you, I mean, with me, I—”

“Sawamura-kun,” cut in old Mrs. Taniguchi, seemingly showing up out of nowhere and subtly nudging him aside so she could put her groceries on the counter. “Kuroo-kun would like to ask you on a date.”

Sawamura blushed firetruck red but valiantly maintained a straight face. “Does he now.”

“He—” Suga wheezed “—he does.” His voice sounded garbled over the beeping of the scanner.

“If Kuroo-kun is actually asking me on a date, then yes, I accept,” said Daichi, smiling at him with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that was downright unfair.

Kuroo looked back, his mouth hanging open.

“Excellent!” said the crafty old lady, sounding way too pleased. “See, Kuroo-kun, there was nothing to be afraid of!”

Suga gave up any pretense of propriety and howled with laughter. Daichi was at least polite enough to cover his mouth when the urge to laugh got too strong to resist.

“Taniguchi-san, _why_?” Kuroo gave her his most betrayed look. 

She smiled at him and patted his arm. “Take him somewhere nice, okay, Kuroo-kun? I'll expect an update when I see you in class next week.”

Kuroo hung his head.“Yes, Taniguchi-san.”

Then she walked out of the store, pleased as punch.

“So, do you have an idea for somewhere nice?” asked Daichi, looking wholly entertained.

And Kuroo didn’t mind that too much, really. “As a matter of fact,” he said, handing Daichi a bag with lush peaches, “I do.”

-

They left the ramen shop contently rubbing their tummies. The entire evening had been like a dream, and Kuroo had barely been able to stop smiling, his heart full with the vision of Daichi flushed with laughter. Dinner had been fantastic; the food had been amazing and the conversation had flowed easily, and Kuroo couldn’t believe how Daichi had looked at him all night, at times exasperated, at times amused, but always fond. A man could get drunk off the warmth in that gaze.

He wished Daichi would keep looking at him like that, like… Like he _liked_ him.

Like he didn’t just tolerate his presence but actively enjoyed it.

Yes, obviously he’d agreed to the date so it wasn’t a surprise that Daichi liked him, but _still._

It made Kuroo giddy and ridiculously weak-kneed.

When they stepped out of the shop, Daichi looked at him with a slightly mischievous glint in his eye. “Do you like soft serve?”

Kuroo frowned, not understanding why the innocent question was asked with such a suspicious expression. “Yes, why?”

“Would you like to go get some?”

Kuroo was intrigued. “I didn’t know there was a soft-serve place in Miyagi.”

“There isn’t,” said Daichi, suppressing a smile. “It’s a town over.”

“Are we going back to my place to get my car, then?”

“Nope!”

“How are we going to get there?”

Daichi chuckled and kept walking, his stride sure and even as he headed toward a dimly lit alleyway. “Just follow me.”

Kuroo followed, even if it was all a bit suspect. “Are you planning on kidnapping me and selling my organs? Just so you know, Sawamura-sensei, I don’t take good care of myself so you’re not going to get a good price on anything.”

Daichi turned and gave him an incredulous look. “Good god, Kuroo. If I needed to harvest organs I wasn’t going to get them off _you_. My ride’s here.”

“Your ride? Wait, what do you mean with that tone of yours? You don’t think I’m good enough?”

Daichi completely ignored him and walked up to, of all things, a sports bike.

Kuroo blinked, talk about organs forgotten. “Oh. Oh, man. That’s _yours_?”

“Yeah. I wouldn’t be taking you toward some random stranger’s bike, Kuroo.” Daichi tossed a smirk over his shoulder as he walked up and grabbed the helmet that had been secured to the handlebar.

“Pfft, yeah, I mean, that’s a given.” Kuroo stopped a few feet shy of the bike, trying not to let his nerves show. “You know how to ride that thing?”

Daichi tossed him the helmet and he fumbled a bit before he caught it. Daichi chuckled. “I mean I wouldn’t be asking you to ride with me, on _my_ bike, a bike that _I own_ , if I didn’t know how to ride it, would I? Now do you want to go?” He held the handlebars and got on the bike, and the graceful arc of his leg through the air was so sexy Kuroo forgot to breathe for a second.

“Kuroo?”

Blinking out of his sudden reverie, Kuroo looked at the helmet in his hands and then at Daichi’s face. On one hand, he was going to be extremely close to Daichi, maybe he could even hold his shoulders, and wouldn’t that be amazing.

But on the other hand, he could fall off and get run over, maybe by a car, maybe even by a truck. He would become Kuroo Paste, without ever having accomplished anything in his life. “Uh.”

His uncertain expression caused Daichi’s smirk to soften. “Don’t worry, Kuroo. I’ve been riding a bike for eight years now and I’ve only been in an accident once.”

More silence, more staring, more uncertainty.

“Kuroo,” said Daichi. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

And Kuroo believed him completely.

“Oh. Alright then,” he said, and walked closer to Daichi and the death machine he was straddling.

Daichi took the helmet from his hands and plopped it onto his head, making sure the fastenings were done right. “If you really, really don’t want to get on the bike, that’s okay, too. We can go and get your car.”

Honestly, Kuroo was tempted, but he decided to suck it up. “No, I think it’s okay. I’ve obviously never ridden a bike before though so I may have to hold you _extra_ tight,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows even if they were hidden behind the visor of the helmet.

“That’s fine,” said Daichi, amd Kuroo’s jaw dropped.

“Wow, Sawamura-sensei, if your plan was to get me to hug you all you had to do was ask! I’ll hug you any place any time, you know that.”

Daichi didn’t dignify that with a response, but Kuroo didn’t mind. He gingerly got on the bike and settled down, but with the way the pillion seat was inclined, he was nearly falling on top of Daichi.

He tried not to blush as he put his hands on Daichi’s shoulders to keep some distance between his back and his chest.

The bike’s engine started up with a low roar, and Kuroo tightened his grip in a panic.

“You good back there?” Daichi looked over his shoulder and their helmets clunked together.

Kuroo leaned back. “I’m good!”

“Alright then,” said Daichi, and they were off. Daichi didn’t go too fast even if the roads were pretty empty, but every time they leaned in to take a corner, Kuroo anxiously held on tighter.

“Your grip’s beginning to hurt,” Daichi’s voice sounded way too close and a little processed.

“What the… am I hearing you inside the helmet?”

Daichi’s chuckle echoed pleasantly right into his ear. “Yeah, they’re connected via bluetooth.”

“Wow that’s pretty neat,” said Kuroo, minding his volume so he didn’t accidentally end up screaming right into Daichi’s eardrums.

“Yes it is. And Kuroo, I really do mean it, you’re gripping my shoulder too tight.”

“Oh,” said Kuroo, consciously loosening his hands.

“You can put your arms around me, I don’t mind. Actually, that might help you feel more stable.”

“Really?” Kuroo asked, not believing his ears.

Was Daichi flirting with him? Or was he just being nice?

Well he was taking him out to get ice cream after their dinner date, so there was no way he was just being nice. Right?

Right.

Swallowing, he slowly let go of his shoulders to slip his hands around his waist, but the bike came to a sudden, screeching stop and he yelped, falling right on top of Daichi as he squeezed him a deathgrip.

When his spirit returned to him, the first thing he noticed was Daichi’s loud, unrestrained laughter right in his ears.

“Did you just yell for your mother?” Daichi said between peals of laughter, the bike shaking as he bent forward as much as Kuroo’s grip around his middle let him.

Kuroo lifted his head from Daichi’s shoulder to see they were stopped at a red light.

“I did not!” he denied vehemently, heart still in his throat, not caring if his voice was too loud. He took both his hands away and scooted back as much as the small seat allowed him. “And what the heck, you said you were a good rider! Don’t you know how to stop like a sane person? You did that on purpose, didn’t you! You wanted to scare me on purpose! You _know_ I’m nervous!”

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” said Daichi, looking over his shoulder and laying a hand on his knee, rubbing his kneecap with his thumb. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have done it if I thought it’d freak you out.”

Kuroo huffed, feeling heat tingle up his thigh from the point Daichi was touching. “Why did you do it then?”

Daichi’s thumb froze in place before he patted his knee awkwardly and pulled away. “Uh,” he said, turning back forward. The helmet carried his voice perfectly even when he muttered. “I was trying to flirt.”

Kuroo blinked before things clicked into place. “ _Sensei,”_ he purred, leaning forward. “Don’t tell me you were trying to make me put my hands on you? How scandalous!”

“Don’t make it sound so skeevy, jeez,” Daichi sounded exasperated and Kuroo sidled closer.

“Sensei wants me to touch him!”

Daichi looked over his shoulder. “Yeah. What, like you don’t want to?”

A loud honk made both of them flinch. “Good heavens! Move or get off the road!”

Daichi cursed under his breath before raising a hand in apology at the car behind them. “Sorry!”

Now it was Kuroo’s turn to laugh. He moved closer now that he’d gotten permission, holding on tight as Daichi shifted into gear and started moving again.

“I did want to,” Kuroo murmured, trusting Daichi would hear him clearly.

A warm hand squeezed him just under his left knee. “Good. I’m glad you did.”

“Sawamura?”

“Mm?”

“Please keep both your hands on the handlebars.”

“Oh god.”

-

When Daichi dropped him off in front of his house, Kuroo shored up all his courage, unwilling to let the night end yet. “Sensei,” he started, fiddling with his helmet straps. “Would you want to come upstairs for some coffee?”

Daichi took his helmet off, and they both looked at each other, Kuroo’s gaze hopeful, Daichi’s gaze contemplative.

“Just coffee, and maybe a chat,” Kuroo said, one corner of his lips quirking nervously. “It’s fine if you don’t want to.”

“I can’t stay for long,” he replied, turning off the engine and looking at Kuroo with that way he had, like Kuroo was the only thing he could see. “But I’d like some coffee.”

-

They were laughing. Kuroo didn’t remember what exactly had gotten them to this point, with them sitting close enough for their shoulders to touch, laughing so hard they both had tears in their eyes, but he was not complaining. He felt so full he thought he was going to burst, wanted to keep laughing like this forever.

Their laughter died down eventually, like all laughter was destined to. But they were still sitting close, and Daichi was still smiling at him full of warmth and affection. A hand cupped Kuroo’s cheek, and another gently plucked his glasses off his face. Kuroo’s eyes fluttered closed, because he knew what was coming, it was happening, it was _happening_ , it was _actually happening._

Daichi pulled him closer with the hand on his cheek and Kuroo went quickly and eagerly, hoping Daichi didn’t feel how his entire body was trembling like a leaf in a storm.

Their lips met, and it was sweet and gentle and nothing like Kuroo had ever imagined because the chaste contact felt like he was being set on fire and being drowned at the same time. Sawamura Daichi was kissing him and it was everything Kuroo had wanted, the _only_ thing Kuroo had wanted for such a long time, the one thing he’d been aching for since he was eighteen fucking years old, and now he finally had it, and it was too much, but it felt like it would never be enough, and _it hurt_.

When Daichi pulled back he followed, eyes still squeezed closed, hoping and praying for another kiss, just one more, because he wanted to have another memory of perfection before he came to his senses and left.

He got it, with Daichi kissing back a little more fiercely this time as their lips moved in tandem. Kuroo’s hands clung to Daichi’s shirt and he felt the warmth of his shoulder blades on his desperate knuckles. Kuroo felt his control slip away as his breaths started coming harsher.

His heart hurt. He was _so_ _happy_ , but it hurt _so_ _much_.

When Daichi pulled away, he tried to follow again, but he was held back with a firm grip on his shoulders.

“Kuroo?”

Kuroo couldn’t open his eyes because if he did it would all be over.

He pressed a hand across his eyes and tried to laugh it off, but his voice cracked on the first ‘ha’ and he shut up before he could make a bigger mess of himself.

“Kuroo, what’s wrong?” Daichi asked again and Kuroo grimaced.

“I’m sorry,” he said, chuckling weakly, turning away from him and praying Daichi didn’t ask him why he was fucking _crying_ because there was no way he wasn’t seeing right through his horrid attempts at keeping a straight face. “I’m so sorry, this is, _hh-hrm_ , this is really lame. Sorry.”

“Kuroo, look at me.”

“ _Can’t_ ,” Kuroo squeezed his eyes closed with enough force to hurt. There were tears. There were tears and he’d already ruined their first kiss, perhaps their _only_ kiss, and he wasn’t not going to let these tears escape and make this situation any worse. He wasn’t. He would _not_. “I’m sorry. I’m really—” he coughed “—sorry.”

Daichi pulled him closer, and Kuroo was horrible enough that he went even when he knew he probably shouldn’t. But Daichi tugged his head down to rest on his shoulder, and put one hand in his hair and the other right between his shoulder blades and he said gently, “Tetsurou.”

And Kuroo sobbed into Daichi’s shoulder because he was so overwhelmed he didn’t know what was what anymore. He should be happy. He felt like he was. But everything hurt. He felt like he didn't deserve this. He felt like Daichi was making a big mistake. He felt too much.

“Tetsurou,” Daichi said, and pressed him closer to himself. It was broad and warm and everything that Kuroo imagined it’d be and more. He wanted to stay there forever.

“Sorry,” Kuroo mumbled, but it was distorted by crying and Kuroo felt pathetic.

“Why are you apologizing?” Daichi kissed his hair, and spoke into his temple. Kuroo burned with the simple affection. “What’s wrong?”

He couldn’t speak immediately, but Daichi waited for him and Kuroo tried his best to collect himself. “I love you, Daichi,” he finally said, and it was such a shitty answer to the questions that Daichi was asking because it now sounds like Daichi was Kuroo’s problem. Fuck. _Fuck_. “I love you so much, I know I keep pestering you and you might not want to hear it, but I love you. I… everyday I regretted the fact that I didn’t chase after you in high school. I had so many chances after that, too. Kenma offered to get me your number from Hinata, but I refused. I was scared, and with each passing day it felt like it was getting later and later for me to tell you. I thought of you every day. It’s stupid—we weren’t even all that close but I missed you something fierce the whole time.

“Then I graduated college and I felt like I was wasting my time, so I dated other people, I dated Akaashi, and I tried my best to just forget you and move on, but I never could, Daichi, I never truly could. I always had that one regret, that I couldn’t get to know you better when I had the chance, and then it was too late. I left the country for my master’s program and I still thought about you, about reaching out. I wasn’t in a good headspace though. I was tired all the time, and I isolated myself, I stopped caring. I nearly had a mental breakdown. I came back, got a job in Tokyo and I drowned myself in coffee and writing and I still—I still thought about you. I _missed_ you. It sounds so stupid—we met so briefly and it makes no sense, but missing you is—shit, missing you was the only constant in my life. Since I came to Miyagi it’s been like a dream. I could see you and talk to you and, fuck, Daichi, do you know how happy that made me? It was like… I can’t even explain it. Everyday I went to sleep expecting to wake up in my cramped apartment in Tokyo. I came to Miyagi with nothing but desperation and heartache and foolish hope. I didn’t even think you’d remember me. I fully expected you to be settled down with a wife and a kid, but I wanted to come anyway.”

“Kuroo—” Daichi dug his chin into his head and held him closer. Kuroo felt the tears start again, and swallowed a couple times to get them back under control.

“Goddamn, Daichi. You were so—You blew my every expectation out of the water. I thought I was in love before but when I finally met you after all these years, I fell in love all over again because you’re so—You’re so _you_ . You’re perfect and handsome and reliable and kind and so much more than everything I remembered. And I was so afraid because I knew there was no way you’d ever like me back. If you said you didn’t want me—I was so scared of what I’d do if you didn’t like me. At least before I was safe because—because I didn’t tell you anything so I had a fantasy, at least, that you’d like me back if I ever did confess. But after I came here, after I told you? You could actually tell me you didn’t want me. But I couldn’t back out, so I just kept going, but I was so _afraid_ , Daichi, you can think I’m a coward all you want because I am, I really am, but I didn’t know where else to go so I kept going forward even when I was terrified and I knew I was going to crash and burn, so now to find out you actually like me—It’s-”

A thought crashed into his head out of nowhere and it was like a stab in his chest, and he immediately pulled back and Daichi let him go, but his hands were still on him, hot as brands.

The words he was going to say next were terrifying but he had to say them so he trudged on, holding onto Daichi’s shoulders so hard he was sure he was going to leave marks, staring straight into Daichi’s eyes that looked at him with an intensity he’s never felt before.

“Daichi, you kissed me—that means… that means you like me, right?”

As soon as he said them Daichi’s face crumpled into a pained frown, and he felt blank for a moment before Daichi was squeezing them together, holding onto him as tightly as he was.

“Tetsurou, you really know how to get to a man,” Daichi said, sounding a little out of breath. “You—How can you call yourself a coward? To say everything you just did—my god. And after the last couple of months? How can I not like you? How did you ever think, for a single moment, that I would not like you back?”

“I—”

“Shh, listen,” Daichi said, pulling back from their tight embrace, cradling Kuroo’s face in his warm, broad hands. “You’re smart, and determined, and so, so brave. The things you did for me, the words you said to me—I am so deeply thankful for them, Tetsurou, I really am. And I adore you okay? I _adore_ you, and I would love to figure out a relationship with you. So please don’t ever make that face again, okay?”

Kuroo’s breath hitched, and Daichi pulled him close, pressed kisses to his temple, the corner of his eye, his eyelid.

He pressed his lips to Kuroo’s forehead and lingered there for a few moments.

When he pulled back, Kuroo smiled at him, trying to convey how grateful he was, but it was a weak and wobbly thing.

Daichi’s smile though was confident and sure as always, and it soothed the ragged, desperate person inside him to quiet down and rest. Daichi’s hands were still cupping his face, and Kuroo felt warmth radiating into his skin, down his neck, through his body.

“I have to get going now,” Daichi said after a short spell of silence, his smile apologetic.

Kuroo nodded, doing such a poor job of hiding his disappointment that Daichi laughed softly and pulled him in for a sweet kiss.

“I have to walk and feed Sophie,” he said when he pulled away, his thumb tracing back and forth over the arch of his cheek. “I’m sorry. You can come back with me, if you’d like?”

“Don’t be sorry, I bet Sophie-chan misses you. And you’re really hot but if you thought I’d put out on the first date, you’re mistaken.” This time when Kuroo smiled, it came a little more freely and easily. 

“I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy,” Daichi rolled his eyes and pinched Kuroo’s nose gently. 

Kuroo laughed and stood, following Daichi as he walked to the door. 

Daichi pulled on his shoes and turned to him. “I’ll see you later.”

“You definitely will,” said Kuroo, smiling. “And um, thanks for listening to me, and for. For everything, really. It feels better.”

“I’m happy that it does,” Daichi murmured, pulling him into the warm circle of his arms again. Kuroo hugged back, hands settled on his broad shoulders, face nestled into the crook of his neck. Warm, so warm. Daichi was warm and solid, and Kuroo finally felt at peace.

He finally felt at home.

\--

**Author's Note:**

> Peaches- fulfilled wishes, happiness
> 
> Thank you very much to [Ash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikescaninot) for beta reading, and the entirety of the KuroDai server for patting me on the head every time I posted a snippet, truly I could not have finished this without their support.  
> This was supposed to be my first KuroDai but here it is, 6 months and 5 other KuroDai fics later. Haha. Ha.  
> Find me on Twitter [@itsairybro](http://twitter.com/itsairybro).
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments are very much appreciated.


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